Samira Panah and Alean Haider are from Afghanistan, but came to the United States for an education they hope one day will help make their country a better place.

For two Afghan students on full scholarships, coming to America meant experiencing many things for the first time--freedom, equality and hope, among them.

Alean Haider and Samira Panah came to Montclair State in September as participants of the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women, a program founded two years ago by social worker Paula Nirschel of Bristol, R.I. The students also received a $5,000 scholarship from the Student Government Association and Class of 2003.

Haider and Panah will spend the next four years here and will return to Afghanistan upon graduation to help their country rebuild.

Facing the challenge and uncertainty of coming to a foreign country might seem daunting, but these young women have braved far more growing up under the rule of the Taliban. Both managed to become educated under difficult circumstances. Haider finished her English studies in secret then vowed to share her knowledge with other young Afghan women. Haider, now 23, ran an underground English language school for students as young as 15 years old from her family’s home in Kabul.

Panah, 21, the daughter of a judge and a mother who taught primary school, spent the Taliban years in Pakistan with her two sisters and two brothers. Prior to coming to MSU, she served as an interpreter, English teacher, course coordinator and office supervisor with the United Nations Development Program for Afghanistan. She became assistant to the international trade adviser for the minister of commerce at the U.S. Agency for International Development in Pakistan.

Haider and Panah's arrival was met with much media attention. The pair has been featured in newspaper articles focusing on their unprecedented journey to pursue higher education in the United States. Yet they downplay their historic roles. "I am proud and brave to talk about myself and my country," said Panah. "It is really important because life is based on experience, so all this attention increases my self-confidence."

"I feel a little brave," said Haider. "Afghanistan is a long distance. The situation that we lived in was very limited. Here it is difficult but I am proud for Afghan people that even though they don't have lots of opportunity, they are brave and they have the ability to do anything they want to do--not just me, but all Afghan people, especially women. I feel a little bit strong that I can do this and I am happy about it."

Of course they have faced many difficulties balancing their culture with the lifestyle of an American college campus. "The hard part is to be far from our families and to adjust to the different environment," admitted Haider.

Haider and Panah are residents of The Village at Little Falls where they live in separate apartments. "It's the first time I've been on my own so it was really difficult, especially during the first days," said Haider. "Now it's been a little bit better adjusting. But it's good that it makes me self-sufficient. When I was in my country, most of the time I did a lot of things by advisement and support of my family but here I have to do things by myself, which is a good experience."

Panah agrees. "Our culture is completely different from American culture. In our country, students have 50 percent responsibilities and the other 50 percent belongs to teachers," she explained. "But here in the United States, students have to accept all the responsibilities while studying at college."

The most difficult adjustment they've had to make is to the food. "The only things I've been able to eat are pizza and French fries," said Haider, laughing at what is probably the typical diet of most college freshmen.

And there are some things, Panah says, people don't expect about her. "People are surprised how fluently I am able to speak English," she said. "Also, I have traveled to many places since I've been in the United States like Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York."

When it comes to religion, Haider and Panah struggle to maintain their religious commitments with their busy schedules. "We pray five times a day," explained Haider. "Sometimes I miss my morning prayer because I study until midnight and it is hard to wake up early in the morning, especially when I have exams."

But you won't hear either complaining about their schedules. They are truly dedicated to their education. "The thing I enjoy most about being here is studying because that was my wish," said Haider. "I really study hard. I like all my classes."

Haider is majoring in economics and says she hopes she can take her experiences and her knowledge back to her country. "The economy in Afghanistan is low and I want to try in the field of economics to help the poor people of my country," she said.

A political science major, Panah would like to focus on international relations. She plans to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or with the United Nations when she graduates.

Although they have enjoyed their first semester, both women are counting the days until they return home for the summer. Until then, when Haider feels sad and wants to feel closer to her family, she listens to Afghani music since calling home has proven costly. "I got a bill that was $553," she said.

Looking back at what she's already accomplished, Haider feels a sense of pride and hope. "It has been a lot of change for me. When I think about what I've done in just four months and that I will be here for four years, there will be lots of possibilities and we will gain a lot of experience and knowledge," she said. "The same way I'm feeling, my family is feeling as well. Always, when they call me, they encourage me as they do at home."

And when Haider looks ahead, she envisions not only her own future, but the future of women in her homeland as well. "Some of the families in Afghanistan don't want their daughters to go for an outside education. I think it's a good experience for our people. When we go back to our country they will see the positive effect it has had and the positive change in us."